Life Sciences Commons^™

Mixed-Hardwood Thinning Optimization, Steven H. Bullard

Faculty Publications

Upland hardwood forest types are .by far the most widespread in the United States. Stands of the oak-hickory forest type alone include 109 million acres, 23 percent of the Nation's commercial timberland (U.S. Forest Service 1982) . Many even-aged upland hardwood stands developed on nonindustrial private lands through hardwood invasion after pine stands were harvested. In 1973, half of the hardwood timber in the South was determined to be on upland sites which formerly supported pine stands (Murphy and Knight 1974). Many nonindustrial private landowners passively permit the biologically better adapted hardwoods to increase after the harvest of pines. These …